Intellectual Property
You are required to observe the University's policies on intellectual property rights as may be decided by the Regent House from time to time. This includes, if your duties include externally funded research, any procedures and conditions agreed between the University and the sponsor funding your work and, if appropriate, in relation to any intellectual property rights arising from the research. You are reminded that, under UK patent legislation, applications for patent protection must be made before the research results supporting the application are publicly disclosed.
If your research is funded by any UK Research Councils or any other sources of external funding, any results of potential commercial interest must be submitted to Cambridge Enterprise as soon as possible. This is to ensure that your interests and those of the University are properly safeguarded and that any procedures and conditions previously agreed between the University and the sponsor funding your research are followed.
It is important that you are aware of the commercial potential of your research results. Cambridge Enterprise can help you with feasibility studies and market research in areas of potential interest. It is also vital that you protect your intellectual property before publishing any research results. You can get advice on intellectual property rights, and on sponsors' requests for delays in publication of your results while patents are applied for, from Cambridge Enterprise.
You should also consult the policy statement of ownership and intellectual property rights generated by externally funded research that you will have received with your contract of employment (online address given below).
Online information is available on the pages of Cambridge Enterprise, which manages the commercial development of University intellectual property (see web address below).
- Intellectual property - Cambridge Enterprise
- Guidance Note about the Intellectual Property Policy in practice - Research Operations Office
- You can also find details in your contract of employment
- For further information, contact Cambridge Enterprise (tel. (7)60339.